Fish tape puller



Dec. 12, 1933. R. B. PATTERSON FISH TAPE FULLER Filed Feb. 1, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 12, 1933. R. B. PATTERSON FI SH TAPE FULLER 2 sheets-snaai 2 Filed Feb. l. 1932 Patented Dec. l2, 1933 'UNITED STATES PArENroFFicl-z- FISH TAPE PULLER Richard B. Patterson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Reliable Electric Company, Chicago, Ill.a corporation of Illinois Application February 1, 1932. Serial No. 590,205

5 claims. f

My invention relates to pulling devices or tools and more particularly to a device4 for pulling what is commonly called fish tape which is the leader tape that is passed through conduits as a means of pulling electrical conductors into the conduits.

t This sh tape as it isgenerally'called is in the form of a at metal tape, and, owing to the fact that it must vbe smooth, itis very di'ilicult to obtain a good grip on it without injuring it and making it worthless.

It is the principal purpose of this invention to provide a gripping Aand pulling device to which the tape can be readily attached and with which ample grip can be had to exert the necessary pulling force. Y

It is` also a purpose of this invention to provide a device of this character of relatively few parts and Aof sufiicient rigidity to prevent its becoming warped or bent out of shape by the force exerted thereon. l Y

It is'also a purpose of this invention to provide a device of this character which can be used for the pushing or pulling without releasing the tape. 1

I have described the preferred form of my invention by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein- Fig. 1 is atop plan View of the device;

Fig.' 2 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1 certain parts being shown in full for the sake of clearness; Fig. 3 is aiplan view partly in section of a modified form of device;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and Figs. 5, 6, and '7 show another modification. Referring now in detail to the drawings, the numeral5 indicates the base or hand grip member which is preferably provided with a downturned annular` rim 6 indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. This downturned rim as shown for example at 7 and 8 is curved to provide alternate grooves and ridge portions spaced to receive the fingers of the hand on one side while the other side is curved on a smooth curve as indicated for example at 9. At the two end portions 10 and l1, the rim is slightly longer than at the sides and is apertured as indicated at l12 and 13 to receive the handles 14 and 15 which may be knurled as indicated atr16 if desired. These handles extend through the end portions 10 and 11 and also connect with the downstruck .integral lugs 17 and 18 struck down from the material of the base 5. The hand grips 14 and l5 screw thread into these lugs 17 and 18 so as to bring the shoulders at 19 and 20l tightly up against the end portions l0 and 11.

The structure so far described constitutes the Ybase portion ofthe puller, the central portion 5 being used for a single hand grip where the user is only using one hand for pulling while the handles 14 and l5 may be employed for exerting greater force in pulling. Y

The gripping mechanism is mounted on the base or hand grip 5 which is provided with a 65 transverse aperture or` slot asindicated at 21, this slot lying between the downstruck portions 1'7V and 18 and forming a guide for the guide link or member 22. This memberr22 as shown lies on the under side of the base 5 and is shouldered 70 as indicated at 23 so as to iit up within the slot 21. The link memberA ,22' is slidable along the slot 21 inthe direction vof pull on the tape. This link member carries a pair of gripping bars 24 and 25 which are pivoted thereto by means of 7d the pins 26 and 27. The bars 24 and 25 are also pivoted to the base 5 at their outer ends by means of the pins 28 and 29. The pivotal connection at the outer ends, however, is also a sliding connection and is made by providing slots 30 and 31 extending inwardly from the outer` ends of the bars and in which the pins 28 and 29 ride. Suitable springs 32 and 33 are interposed between the pins and the bottom of the slots so as to normally tend to force the bars into a gripping position indicated by dotted lines.

The inner ends of the bars 24 and 25 are thickened as shown most clearly in Fig. 2 and are curved as indicated at 34 and 35 to provide cam surfaces which, whenthe bars are in the center line position as shownr in full lines in Fig. 1 and as shown in Fig. 2, leave a space between the ends of the bars of suflicient width to receive a tape.

Now as the bars rnove'awayl from the center line in either direction as for example to the dottedline position shown in Fig. 1, the cam faces 3,4 and 35 swing toward each other at one end so as to grip the tape therebetween. Curvature of the cam faces 34 and 35 is preferably such that within the range of movement allowed by the guide link 22 and the slot 2l, the farther away from the center line the link is moved the closer they are pressed together.

Thus, if the tape as indicated at 36 in Fig. 1 is to be pulled downwardly, the bars would move toward the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, and the harder the pull the greater the tendency they would have to move in this direction and therefore the greater the pressure they would exert upon the tape. The guide link 22 riding as 110 it does on the lower surface ori-the base maintains the faces in proper ralignment and prevents their tipping. Also, the outer pivots at 28 and 29 take a certain amount of the strain Vin 5 this pulling action to prevent tipping of the bars formed that, as the members and 41 are pulled v in opposition to the spring 43 so as to swing inthe opposite direction to the direction of the arrows, these faces will come closer together and eventually contact thus gripping' the tape between them., Y Y

From the above description, it is believed that the construction and advantages of this form will be clearto those skilled in this art.

"` yIn the form of the device shown in Figs. 5 7,

the operation of the deviceis somewhat different to that of either of the other forms. The handgrip 48 has the bars 49 and 50 pivoted thereon at their outer ends by means of the p ins 53 and 54. The inner ends of these bars are thickened (see Fig. 6) to provide a wider gripping jaw. The inner ends of thebars are also cam-shaped as l indicatedl at 51 and 52 V(see Fig.5 to receive thesh tape between them. The handgrip 4S has the aperture 55therein, the side walls 56 and 57 of-which are curved on circlescentered in the pins 53 and 54. The Yguide members 58 and 59 are 'fixed-on the bars 49 and 50 and shouldered so as to extend over the side walls 56 and 57 and thus hold the bars down against the handgrip. TheY members 58 and 59 also perform another very important function in causing bars 49 and to always swing together. This function is accomplished by providing the cam surfaces 60 and`61 on members 58 and 59. Thecam surfaces are so shaped as to always-connect the bars and cause their inner ends to swing together.

This form of4 the invention operates to grip the fish tape tighter as Nthe bars move toward their central or aligning position,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patg ent is:

, to said hand grip, the bars being placed end to end and having their adjacent ends curved to provide'carn faces for gripping a tape therebetween. y Y

2. A fish tape puller including a pair of elongated bars arranged substantially end to end and having cam faces on their adjacent ends, and link lmeans pivotally connected to said bars at their adjacent ends, said cam faces being eccentric with respect to the pivot connection of their respective bars with said link means whereby swinging of said bars on their pivots varies the distance between said cam faces, a guide and hand grip member on which said link means is slidable in the direction of the pull on the tape, and means connecting the distal ends of said bars to said member. f

3. A fish tape puller including a pair of elongated bars arranged substantially end to end and having vcam faces on their adjacent ends, and link means pivotally lconnected to said bars at their adjacent ends, said cam faces being eccentric with respect to the pivot connection of their respective' bars with said link means whereby swinging of said bars on their pivots varies the .distance between said cam faces, alguide and hand grip member on which said link means is slidable in the direction of the pull on the tape, and means connecting the distal ends of said bars to said member', said member having a slot in which said link means isV guided.

4. A fish tape puller including a pair of elongated bars arranged substantially end to end and -havingv cam faces on their adjacent ends, and Vlink means pivotally connected to said bars at their adjacent ends, said cam faces being eccentricwith respect to the pivot connection of their respective bars with said link means' whereby swinging of said bars ontheir pivots varies the distance between said 'cam faces, a guide and hand grip member on which said link means is slidable in the direction of the pull 'on the tape, and meansV connecting the distal ends of said bars to said member, said member having oppositely extending Ahandles adjacent. the outer ends of said bars. 5

5. A fish tape puller includinga pair of elongated bars arranged substantially end to end and having cam faces on their adjacent ends, and link means pivotally connected to said 'bars attheir adjacent ends, said cam faces being eccentric with respect to the Vpivot connection of their respective bars with said link means whereby swinging of said bars on their pivots varies the distance between said cam faces, a guide and hand grip member on which said link means is slidable having saidlink means bearing against one side thereof and said bars bearing against the other side thereof, said memberl having the said bars connected thereto for swinging movement.

RICHARD B. PATTERSON.

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